


Today's Treasures

by rhyfel



Series: Unconnected JatP One-shots [2]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everyone Is Alive, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:15:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28292229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhyfel/pseuds/rhyfel
Summary: Alex works at a kitschy tourist shop and has to clean posters off the window.Willie puts the posters on the window.Somehow it works out.For JATPDAILY'S Secret Santa event.
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Series: Unconnected JatP One-shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1999471
Comments: 7
Kudos: 126
Collections: jatpdaily secret santa 2020





	Today's Treasures

“Alex! There’s more of those goddamned signs up, take ‘em down!” Alex jumped a little at Richard’s loud voice in his ear. Having delivered his order, Richard stomped back to his office where he spent most of his time, only appearing for a couple minutes every few hours to yell at his young, minimum wage workers. When the band decided they needed extra income to tide them over between gigs, all of them applied for part time jobs at Today’s Treasures, a kitschy tourist shop a few blocks from the beach, but four months later only Julie and Alex had managed to keep the jobs. Luke got fired a week in when it became clear he spent all of his time changing the store playlist and writing music. Reggie, on the other hand, lasted for a month before Richard’s constant yelling made him so jumpy and withdrawn that his bandmates begged him to quit.

Richard’s latest tirade was about the posters that had been appearing on the front windows. They were for the Hollywood Ghost Tours, a group that led tours of Hollywood’s most haunted locations. No one had seen the person responsible for the signs despite them showing up three or four times so far – often in the middle of the day – but Alex was always the one who had to take them down. When he’d complained about it to the band, Reggie had gone full conspiracy mode and he and Carlos had joined forces and started hanging out in the coffee shop across the street and “hunting” the “ghost” from the Hollywood Ghost Tours. Alex just assumed it was some goth kid equally as underpaid as him.

Alex hated this hypothetical goth kid.

Whoever it was used some impossible to remove tape that forced Alex to scrub at the windows for at least thirty minutes every time he had to clean it, or else be screamed at by Richard. Scotch tape was _right there_ , no one needed their poster to last through a hurricane; they were in California, not Florida. Plus, why’d they have to put it up on the one window on the block Alex had to clean?

Alex sighed and pulled out the supplies, yet again heading out to clean up someone else’s mess.

“Aw man, I just put that up!” A voice behind Alex exclaimed. Alex whirled, paper towels in one hand and spray bottle in the other.

“You’re the one putting these signs up?” Alex yelled back, “I take them down all the time, take the hint dude!” Alex scowled at the other boy who was decidedly not goth at all. Instead, he found himself facing a skateboarder wearing a grey helmet, tie-dye crop top, and dark blue shorts. The boy frowned back at Alex, taking off his helmet and shaking out his hair. Alex did _not_ think about how a frown looked wrong on his face. Nor did he think about how soft his hair looked or how kind his eyes were.

“Chill man, my boss told me too,” the boy said, a rueful smile overtaking the frown and loosening something tight in Alex’s chest. Alex thought about Richard’s quick temper and Ray taking less food when the band ate at the Molina’s and Luke’s increasingly threadbare clothes and how Reggie kept the band van running on fumes and prayers and did _not_ soften for the skateboarder.

“Yeah, well, I’m telling you not to,” Alex countered, “So… don’t.”

“Alright Hotdog,” the boy replied, rueful smile turning into a full blown smirk, “You win this round,” and with something that looked suspiciously like a wink, he put his helmet back on and skateboarded away.

“Hotdog?” Alex repeated, confused, “That’s not my…” He caught sight of himself in the window of the store, specifically the novelty shirt Reggie had given him with a dachshund in a hotdog bun on it, “okay.”

* * *

A week later, there had been no more signs on the window and the rogue skateboarder was nowhere to be seen. Alex told everyone about the encounter in practice – to the disappointment of Reggie who no longer had ghosts to hunt – and assumed that was the end of it.

Alex really needed to remember what happened when you assumed.

He was eating his lunch and sitting at one of the tables the coffee shop across the street set up outside, watching the front of the store just in case it looked like Julie needed help when he met him again. The skateboarder. He sat down at the table before Alex had even noticed his arrival.

“What’s up, Hotdog?” the skateboarder had a wide smile on his face, eyes that shone in the sun, and a stack of papers that looked suspiciously like posters for the Hollywood Ghost Tours.

“Hey… wheels?” Alex winced and powered through the embarrassment, “those better not be more signs to put up on my window.”

The other boy leaned closer, the smile growing, “Wheels?”

Alex scowled, “Answer the question.”

“Didn’t hear one, hotdog. And my name’s Willie.” He reached out a hand and Alex grabbed it, shaking it by built in reflex from years of his parents reminding him of manners. The skateboarder – Willie – glanced down where their hands were connected, not moving it in the socially accepted handshake motion. Alex dropped his hand, feeling heat crawl up his neck. Willie gave a little giggle and grabbed a sugar packet that in in retrospect he had definitely been reaching for. Blessedly, he didn’t say anything about the moment he’d just shared with Alex.

“Alex!” Alex squeaked out, voice hitting the distressingly high pitch it only got to when he was confused and embarrassed and just wanted people to stop looking at him, “My name, it's Alex.” The other boy just smiled long and warm and unfairly attractive. “And are you planning on putting those signs up on my window?” Alex repeated.

“I mean, it is my job.” Willie said, tearing open the packet of sugar and pouring the contents into his mouth. Alex watched as he tilted his head back, long neck exposed so Alex could see the bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed. Alex swallowed hard as well, forgetting what they were talking about. “Anyway, see ya later, hotdog.”

Willie stood up, picking up his skateboard in one hand and tossing the empty sugar packet into the trash with the other. He smiled down at Alex, the wide grin splitting his face, before getting on the board and skating off. Willie’s hair fluttered behind him, the helmet keeping it mostly in place. He carelessly skated between people, leaving apologies in his wake as pedestrians shouted after him. Alex stared after him, eyes wide, mouth slightly open.

“Hey Alex!” he heard from across the street. Alex snapped his mouth closed and whipped his head around, meeting the warm brown eyes of Julie standing at the shop’s front door. He quickly started gathering his trash, throwing it away before running across the street, dodging a car that slammed on its horn as he ran in front of it. Julie reached out, grasping his arm and pulling him over.

“When did this happen?” Julie said, pointing at the window. Alex furrowed his brow, but as they got closer, he saw it. A poster for the Hollywood Ghost Tours.

* * *

“He’s back,” Julie said in a sing song voice, the amused smile clear to Alex even with her facing away from him. Alex grinned a little and felt a blush rise in his cheeks. The store had been dead for the past hour, only two customers coming through, and Julie had taken the opportunity to organize the merchandise. In theory, this included folding shirts, rehanging jackets, and straightening the displays of various cheap touristy things. In practice, she really just sat by the table of snow globes and alternated between writing music for their band and people watching. That meant that she immediately knew when Willie showed up. Despite her being closer to the doors, her seeing him first, and their standing orders to “tell him they’d call the cops if he ever showed up again” – Richard’s words, not theirs – Alex knew he’d be the one to go out and confront him. He knew this because somehow Julie had engineered it so that Alex went out and talked to the cute skateboarder – Willie – every time he came by.

He appreciated it.

Willie was _very_ attractive, yes. But he was also funny, sweet, and incredibly smart. If only they could have a single conversation that didn’t take place outside Alex’s work. They’d had nine of _those_ so far, including the first one. Willie would come by, chat with Alex for a while, then leave. He still had to put up signs – apparently his boss was as bad as Richard – and Alex still had to take them down, but in between that they got to know each other. Willie loved skateboarding, was moderately good at street art, and regularly went to the beach. He hated his job, pet every stray animal he saw, and apparently liked Alex.

It was the last one that Alex liked the most about him.

“Hey Willie,” Alex said, leaving the store and glancing about for a poster. Sometimes he managed to put it up before Alex came out, but it looked like Julie’s warning had given Alex a head start. Alex liked that better. That meant they would have some time to chat while Willie tried to figure out how to sneak the poster up without Alex noticing this time. So far Willie had been able to get a poster up five of the nine times they’d talked. Alex wasn’t even upset about it anymore, especially since he now used painter’s tape.

Willie turned, smile lighting up his face, Alex’s own growing in response. Every time he saw Willie was like the first time all over again. The cataloging of Willie’s face, the skip of Alex’s heart, the quick moment of breathlessness. Alex didn’t want to lose that feeling. It was like performing without the nerves. Like hanging out with the band but somehow more personal.

“Hey Alex,” Willie replied, taking off his helmet and robbing Alex of a reply for a few more minutes. “Looks like you caught me. Guess that means we’re even.” He took a step towards Alex, getting into his space.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Alex answered, voice again going high. “I mean, we just got here, you could still put it up?” Alex continued; he couldn’t think straight with Willie that close. In more ways than one. Willie took a step closer, his arm going to the side to casually lean against the store front.

Willie laughed. Alex could drown in that laugh. “Nah man, I think you got me. And it’s your turn anyway.”

His turn. That was the other part of their little game. The winner of the previous round got to ask a question. Both people would answer, but the winner chose the question. Alex knew what he wanted to ask from the last round. He wanted Willie’s number. He wanted to be able to see Willie other places. Maybe even dinner.

“What’s your,” Alex started. Then the anxiety took over, “favorite color.” Willie looked a little confused, like he knew that wasn’t what Alex wanted to ask. “Mine’s pink.” Alex continued, feeling a little like he was dying of thirst while a cup of water was right in front of him.

“Blue,” Willie gamely replied, meeting Alex’s eyes. Alex just nodded, flustered.

“Cool, blue. It’s a cool color.” Willie nodded back. And then they were just nodding at each other. Alex forced himself to stop.“I should,” Alex gestured inside, for once wishing the interaction would end.

“Oh, yeah, of course. I’ll see you later!” Willie took off down the street, once again leaving Alex staring after him. Alex groaned, turning to place his head against the wall. And, apparently, right on another poster. _Huh, point Willie._

* * *

The next time he saw Willie, he wasn’t expecting it. First of all, he wasn’t even at work. The band had just finished a gig and Julie, Reggie, and Luke were ordering food from a taco truck when Alex turned around and there he was. Seeing him away from the storefront somehow made everything more real and Alex mentally berated himself yet again for not getting Willie’s number.

“Alex!” Willie looked surprised to see him. And happy maybe? Alex hoped he also looked happy.

“Hey Willie,” Alex felt the rest of the band at his back, not even trying to be inconspicuous in their curiosity, “This is my band, Julie, Reggie, and Luke.” He pointed to each of them in turn.

“Nice to meet you,” Willie replied, reaching out to shake their hands. Julie, his favorite of his bandmates, immediately pulled Luke and Reggie away once the introductions were done, leaving Willie and Alex alone. Or, alone enough.

“So, I won the last one.” Willie said after they left. Alex nodded, remembering his own terrible question. "That means I get a question."

“You don’t want to wait until we’re back at work? We won’t have a winner for next time either.” Alex asked. Willie shook his head.

“I quit yesterday.”

The statement hung in the air. Alex didn’t like the sound of Willie’s boss, but what would it mean for their, whatever this was, if Willie quit.

“Oh. So, I guess that means you won.”

“Yeah.”

They stood there, staring at each other. Willie looked straight at Alex, face unreadable. Alex wanted to look away, but if this was the last time he’d see Willie, he would have as much of it as possible.

“So, your question?” Alex asked.

“Right!” Willie took a step closer. “My question.” He took another step. “Can I kiss you?”

Alex froze. Willie was so close. If he bent his knees, they’d touch Willie’s. Alex nodded frantically, not trusting himself to speak. Willie closed the distance, pressing his lips to Alex’s. Alex reached out and grabbed Willie’s face, cupping it lightly with both hands. Willie’s lips were chapped, probably from the wind constantly hitting them while skateboarding. Alex thought it was perfect. His face was soft and warm beneath Alex’s hands. It felt like his hands were made to hold Willie’s face. Willie eventually pulled back.

They stared at each other for an eternity. Blue eyes met brown.

“Since,” Alex started, “since you quit I basically won this round. So, I get a question too.”

“Seems fair,” Willie said, laughing brightly in that special way he did.

“Can I kiss you again?”

“Yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> For alex-mercerss


End file.
